The house always has the edge

Firstly, it’s important to note that all casino games have payouts below the complete odds of the game: this is known as the edge for the house. This however, is not a secret: it’s well known that casinos have this advantage and indeed it is how they are able to stay in business. Without this advantage it’s highly unlikely that you would even be able to play at a casino.

OK… that’s fine: but are online casinos rigged?

When suggesting that an online casino is rigged, the idea is that it is not operating within probability laws. Instead, the suggestion is that the games’ outcomes are not as we should expect.

So is this the case with online casinos? Many people complain about their legitimacy after a losing streak – but is this really a case of manipulation of the game? For example, a player might suggest there has been some fraud if they face a run of 10 reds while betting on black in roulette: so is this a sign that things are fixed?

In reality, this is actually a one per 784 chance, so it isn’t that rare. Chances are, if this occurred in a real casino you wouldn’t question the events: but, because online casinos are computers and rely on generated random numbers, people quickly jump to conclusions that things must be fixed.

However, the reality is that the odds at a good online casino will be just the same as those at a real casino. Indeed many online casinos actually offer higher percentages than their land-based equivalents. They are able to offer better rates because there is no need for a physical building and they are able to save considerably on overheads.

So online casinos are less likely to be rigged than real casinos?

The reality is that neither type of casino needs to “rig” its games in order to make profits. The fact that they have the house advantage ensures that they will always make money. What really makes casinos thrive in fact, is volume: so it’s not to their advantage to garner a bad reputation because the more players they have, the more money they make.

Of course that’s not to say that there can’t be the odd “bad egg” out there – any casino could theoretically be corrupt. However, if you stick to well-known brands, play at casinos with trusted software, look for verification of payouts and audits, and seek out recommendations of online casinos from websites including this one: then chances are you’re going to be safe.